Enrollment
620
Washington · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Graham, WA
Frontier Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Frontier Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 54/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 530048000595
👥 S:T ratio 14
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 77
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Frontier Middle School earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of Washington schools.
- #3 of 9
- public schools in Graham · Resource Index
- 54
- Resource Index · Higher
- 21.4:1
- large classes for Washington
- 34.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Frontier Middle School has class sizes larger than 85% of Washington schools. Computed live against every Washington school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Frontier Middle School ranks #3 of 9 public schools in Graham, WA.
School address
District: Bethel School District · Washington
NCES ID 530048000595 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
29.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.4:1
vs 17.6:1 Washington avg
+22% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
34.2%
vs 45.0% Washington avg
-24% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Frontier Middle School compares with Washington and U.S. medians
What stands out at Frontier Middle School
Frontier Middle School is a mid-sized middle school in Graham, Washington, enrolling 620 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 21.4:1 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 34.2% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 620 puts it in the larger third of Washington schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 2,394 scored Washington schools.
Among 451 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Washington schools statewide, it ranks #37, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (56%) and Hispanic or Latino (17%) (diversity index 63/100).
Attendance holds up well here: only 9.4% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
The surrounding Bethel School District spends $15,195 per pupil, 22% below the Washington average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Graham's middle schools, it stands alongside Cougar Mountain Middle School (605 students): Frontier Middle School is larger than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (21.4:1 vs 20.2:1).
Bethel School District also operates Graham Kapowsin High School (2,087 students) and Spanaway Lake High School (1,787 students) alongside Frontier Middle School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Frontier Middle School compares
Frontier Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Washington and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Washington | Washington avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21.4:1 | ▲ 22% | 17.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 34.2% | ▼ 24% | 45.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 620 | top 19% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.4:1
Leaner classes than 12% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
620
Bigger than 74% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
34.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 24% below the Washington average of 45.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
21.4:1
students per teacher
- 22% above state mean
Top 85% in Washington - lower ratio than 15% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
9.4%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$15,195
per pupil, district-wide
- below Washington avg of $19,487
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 78 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 12.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 55.8%
Hispanic or Latino 16.8%
Two or More 15.2%
African American 4.7%
Asian 3.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 2.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.6%
Largest group: White at 55.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.3, Frontier Middle School is more mixed than the Washington school average of 53.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Bethel School District, which includes Frontier Middle School.
$15,195
Per student
-22%
vs Washington
Avg $19,487
-8%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 24.6%
State 66.9%
Federal 8.5%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Frontier Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Graham Kapowsin High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Spanaway Lake High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Bethel High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Liberty Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Spanaway Middle School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Frontier Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,087
- Students per teacher
- 24.8:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,787
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 1,688
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 857
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 766
- Students per teacher
- 22.5:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
Similar middle schools in Graham
1 comparable middle schools (grades 6-8) serving the same city.
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Washington, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~620 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Frontier Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Frontier Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Bethel School District's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Frontier Middle School
How many students attend Frontier Middle School?
Frontier Middle School has 620 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Graham, WA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Frontier Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Frontier Middle School is 21.4:1, which is 22% higher than the Washington average of 17.6:1 and 36% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Frontier Middle School?
34.2% of students at Frontier Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Washington average of 45.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Frontier Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Frontier Middle School is White at 55.8% of enrollment, in Graham, WA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Frontier Middle School?
Frontier Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 54/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Frontier Middle School rank among public schools in Graham?
By Resource Investment Index, Frontier Middle School ranks #3 of 9 public schools in Graham, WA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Graham on the city page.
Is Frontier Middle School a good school?
Frontier Middle School earns 54/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 85% of Washington schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Bethel School District?
Besides Frontier Middle School, Bethel School District also operates Graham Kapowsin High School (2,087 students), Spanaway Lake High School (1,787 students), and Bethel High School (1,688 students). See the Bethel School District district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.